I was browsing around for a bartending flash game to play and found this one. Try it out and post your high score!
Popularity: 74% [?]Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Bartending Robot. He Even Asks for Tips!
World’s greatest invention of all time? I thought so too. Although does this mean I might be out of work soon? First my job as a bank teller and now this. In all seriousness, this robot was created at Total Manufacturing Company in Lincoln Nebraska, America’s new Silicon Valley.
Popularity: 23% [?]Saturday, December 3, 2011
How to Do Bartending Tricks
In the bartending industry, they call it flair. It looks good and it makes people want to buy more drinks. That's great if you own a bar. But, some flair is still nice to know for your home bar tricks when you're entertaining friends and family.
Get a Feel
The first thing to do is get a feel for the bottles you'll be flipping. Pick up the tin and flip it in your hands. Grab different sized bottles and flip them, making sure you notice the different weights and measurements. You can condition your brain to immediately recognize the feel of a certain bottle if you hold it long enough and try a few tricks with it.
First Trick
This basic trick is what they practically teach everyone first when they go to bartending school. Hold the bottle in your right hand and the tin in your left. You can switch it later if you want, but learn the fundamentals first.
Swing the bottle under and around to your left arm. At that point, you are going to release it and flip it back over to its original position where your right hand should return to immediately. It's a simple flip and you should do the motions a few times before you actually let go of the bottle for your first time.
Beer Bottle
Beer bottle opening can be quite interesting if you have a bottle opener that is long and flat. This will allow you to have a handle you can use for various tricks. With the beer bottle sitting on the bar, take your bottle opener and hook it to the beer cap.
This is done the same way that you would when you normally open a beer bottle with a bottle opener except that when you get tension, use that tension to do your tricks. Pick the bottle up with the bottle opener. The tension created between the bottle opener and the bottle cap will give you enough stability to be able to lift the bottle. Get a feel for it and you are ready!
You can learn different tricks to do, but my favorite is around the head. You can twirl the beer bottle around the back of your neck and then quickly pop the cap before handing your amazed friend a beer. It's beautiful flair and when worked on enough, you can create your own sense of style when it comes to twirling beer bottles with bottle openers.
Flairing the Ice
Even something as simple as putting ice into a glass can be interesting. You need an ice scoop to really make this one fun and show your friends an exciting time. This is the kind of trick that if you pull it at just the right moment, you'll have your friends wondering if they actually saw something cool or if their eyes were playing tricks on them.
Have your glass upside down when you perform this trick. Grab it in the upside down position and scoop ice out of the ice bin at the same time. Pull the scoop up to the glass. The palm of your hand holding the glass should be pointing upward, in the perfect position to now flip the glass around in a circle with the scoop still at the top of the glass to make it a bigger presentation.
But, add a step. Once you've done your flip, make sure to keep one last piece of ice in the scoop that you can flip behind your back and catch in your glass. All in one motion, that is a beautiful trick that will catch your friends off guard.
Bartending tricks have been around since bartending. For everything we do, we try to add a little flair to our jobs and make them as interesting as we can. That is especially when we know we are being watched. You may not be much of a bartender. Having a home bar doesn't mean you have to learn. But, you'll have fun and your friends will enjoy it right with you.
Stan Schubridge is a beer enthusiast who loves tasting new beers and attending beer events. Staying up to date on new innovations in beer and beer products keeps Stan on top of the beer world. You can read a great deal about beer from beer brewing to new inventions at Beertaps Learning Center. Stay up to date with invaluable beer and home bar information by subscribing to our newsletter. While you're there, take a look at our Beertaps Store and get anything you need for your own home bar.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
What Do I Get From Bartending Training?
Are you interested in obtaining a bartending license in Maryland?
Well, there isn't a technical bartending "license", but you can obtain a bartending certificate through a licensed bartending school. It is like a license for good employment though; bartending employers search out a bartending college certification as
What Do I Get From Training And A Certification?
Bartending is a wide and diverse field, but there are many standard practices that the best employers are looking for. From expert mixology classes to learning the best methods for working a crowd, a bartender school will get you prepared for the real world of bartending.
Other than securing a job, a bartending certification will provide you with the skills to achieve the best wages, the best positions, and the most profitable shifts. Across Maryland, employers say that a reputable bartending college affects their choice when hiring new bartenders.
What You Learn?
Obviously, the most important part of the job is to serve good drinks and cocktails to your customers.
Other than mixing popular cocktails you will learn:
Methods of mixing
Liquor arrangements
Opening and closing procedures
Bartending recipes
Tricks (aka, Flair)
Crowd Management
How to Please For Better Tips
Bartending Laws in Maryland
There are a couple of pertinent laws in Maryland that relate to your ability to bartend in the state.
Minimum Serving Age: In this state, you must be at least 21 years of age to serve alcohol. To work as a busboy or bar-back you need only be 16, but there is no handling of alcohol allowed in these positions.
Required Training: Every bartender in Maryland must undergo an alcohol awareness-training program prior to being hired and serving alcoholic beverages to customers.
Certification Renewal: In order to continue work as a bartender, an alcohol awareness-training program must be completed every four years.
Bartending Certificate as a "License"
Though, a certification is not a license per se, it is a piece of paper that gives you a special edge over your competition.
Additionally Maryland law does require a safety course for people working behind the bar, and this requirement is fulfilled with your bartending education.
Finding a bartending job, without prior experience, can be hard. Good there are bartending schools that teach you how to bartend throughout all of America. Bartending could be an extremely lucrative career if you have the heart and passion for it. If you are looking for a great Virginia bartending school that teaches you how to mix drinks and make people happy, there is only one place to go. Contact the Maryland Bartending Academy!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
The Joy of Bartending, and How To Get There
Why would you want to be a bartender? There are quite a few reasons one might consider becoming a bartender. The money is probably the biggest reason most people become a bartender: a good bartender in a busy venue can work part time and make a decent full time income. If you enjoy meeting people, this is just another reason to work in the hospitality industry - bartenders meet new people almost every night they work. Also, bartending is probably one of the most fun jobs you can have.
Money
Most people tip a minimum of $1 per drink, if they pay for each drink in cash. If they run a tab, the base tip is considered 15% and a good tip is around 20% if you do your job well. There are people who tip even more. If you serve 200 drinks in one night and everyone's paying cash, that's going to translate to around $200 in your pocket for a short, fun shift. If they're all running tabs, your sales at the end of the night are going to be around $400 on 200 drinks, if it's a $2 beer night and everyone got the cheap beer. At 20%, that's $80 which is actually a lowball estimate because a lot of people are still going to buy more expensive, higher-end drinks. On top of the tips you'll be making (which you can see are impressive), you'll also be getting paid an hourly wage to supplement your tips, as well as potential tip share if you make drinks for servers or cocktail waitresses. With your hourly wage and tip sharing, your income grows very quickly and there's a potential to make a lot of money.
Meeting People
In most venues, bartending is a very social job. Your job will consist of meeting, talking to, and entertaining the various guests in the establishment. You'll get to know many new people in this line of work as there's almost always someone new coming in. You will meet, talk to and enjoy the company of many new people on a regular basis. Who knows? Your job may even introduce you to new friends or a romantic interest?
Fun
The fun or party atmosphere associated with most bars or clubs means you're going to have a more relaxed working environment. Dress code guidelines are generally less strict, and the patrons generally rely on the bartender for good conversation. Many bartenders have an arsenal of tricks, jokes and conversation skills to keep their patrons interested and enjoying themselves. Your patrons will spend more time with you if you're fun, and the longer they stay, the more they spend. Obviously, the more they spend the more they tip - so your income is directly related to how entertained you can keep your patrons.
Getting There
Now you know why you want to be a bartender, so how do you get there? You could take the long, hard way as a server or a barback, but no one likes the long hard way. Is there an easier way?
The answer is yes. As a server or a bartender it could take you months or even years to pick up everything you need to know to be a successful bartender. Instead, you can attend a bartender's school. These schools are designed to give you all the basic information you'll need to be successful in most any bar environment in a short time, so you can jump into the fray without having to worry about learning the basics with everything else going on around you.
You can expect to learn around 100 of the most popular and classic recipes that you'll need to know in most any bar. You'll learn by watching a professional bartender mix the drink in front of you, explaining what's being done and why and then repeating the process yourself until you're comfortable with the process.
You can also expect to learn basic such as customer service, garnishes, and the correct glasses to serve drinks in. Also, basic beer and wine knowledge will be taught such as how to properly poor a draft beer (yes, there's a proper way) and how to pour a glass of wine and present a bottle of wine.
There will be a short class on alcohol responsibility, and a certification that you passed. This course involves how to properly check IDs and how to spot fakes, as well as state and federal laws regarding the sale and serving of alcohol. You'll know how to spot a fake ID and when you should cut someone off after this short course.
Many schools will help you find a job with a job placement service. Through deals with bars, the schools can help you find a job at many of the bars and clubs in and around the area you attend school in to help you get real experience behind a real bar.
When you're looking for a school, make sure you pay attention to how they teach. A lot of bartender's schools, unfortunately, have become scams. You want relatively new books and text materials, as well as a professional classroom setup. The good schools will have classrooms that look and feel like a real bar when you walk in. You should see everything you'd expect in a real bar: a bar, bar stools, three compartment steel sink, soda gun, speed racks, ice bins, and real liquor bottles. (The liquid inside the bottles is not real liquor, but a special liquid made to look and act like the liquor it's supposed to be.) This allows you to get a real feel for working behind a real bar. Some may have "workstations" that look like miniature bars. Don't settle for a school that you wouldn't have a drink in, chances are they're a ripoff.
Now that you know what to look for in a school, and why you would benefit from going to a bartender's school, get out there and start learning. Once you've finished the class, you won't regret the choice and should be making money and having fun in your new job soon. Enjoy your new vocation, whether you just need some extra cash or you're wanting to make a full time living slinging drinks.
Bartending schools can give you a serious advantage when you're looking for a job in the hospitality industry by teaching you the basics of mixology and drink pouring in a controlled environment. Click here to learn more about bartending school.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Bartending School: 10 Questions for Aspiring Bartenders
Becoming a Bartender
We all have one point seen ourselves behind the bar slinging drinks like Tom did in his famous movie role. But before we do, there are few things we must consider:
Are we ready to give up our weekends?
Is working late hours something we are comfortable with?
Are we what we call a "people person"?
Can we take orders and remain calm under pressure?
Do we deal with patrons that could become rude and rowdy?
Bartending can be a very lucrative and reward career. For others, it can be a simple sideline job while in school. Whatever it may be, bartending does require certain skills that can be taught in bartending schools and experienced in the line of fire.
A professional bartender understands both the needs of the clients and what is required to become effective during service. A bartender's quick check list:
Is my liquor inventory up to par?
Is my beer inventory properly stocked?
Are my fruits and condiments prepared?
Do I have enough ice?
Does my till have enough change?
A bartender knows what can be called the "golden hours" at which point all they do is take orders and serve drinks. To maximize the full potential, preparation is key.
Bartending School
An important part of any hospitality environment is the personnel they hire. Hospitality operators at times struggle to find the right people. In regards to hiring the right people for your bar, you may consider giving extra attention to a resume that does include a bartending school certificate or recognition.
Bartending schools are designed to teach people how to serve at the bar. They follow all the theories pertaining to the industry and then will add their personal experiences which they have lived.
Why consider a certified bartender:
Knowledge of recipes
Methodology of makes drinks is taught: beers, wines and cocktails
Proper service techniques
Importance of liquor inventory management
Enhanced customer relation
It is also a good idea to call the bartending school as both a reference in regards to the employee you are considering, but also a way to create a relationship with the school for future staffing needs. The right school with the right reference can totally aid you in getting into and succeeding in the bar industry. Also look into specialty schools to help fill niche bartending roles
Education is gold and your "liquid" assets sales will only benefit from it.
Scannabar has been in the hospitality inventory and consulting business for over 10 years and brings over 20 years of combined experiance. If you found this article helpfull and are interested in learning more please visit our blog at: http://en.scannabar.com/blog/ or if you are interested in seeing what solutions Scannabar might have to offer you visit us at: http://www.scannabar.com
Friday, November 25, 2011
How To Get A Bartending Job With No Experience
I made the choice to produce the topic of how to become a bartender without having practical experience one of my very first posts because I get asked this question like crazy. People are normally in search of bar tending jobs for a lot of reasons but they also feel fearful when they don't possess expertise. So I am here to inform you ways to get a job no matter how much or how little experience you have.
Bar tending Misconceptions Revealed
One big myth pertaining to getting a bar tending job is that you really need to be certified. False! I am certainly not trashing all these schools, I am sure they are definitely a good deal of guidance, however when individuals make inquires with me I make them aware of the truth, I am not certified and I've been successful working pretty much everywhere from 4 star resorts to hole-in-the-wall gin joints. This leads me to the first, and often the most effective way, to getting a bar tending job without any working experience. Just get a job in a bar or restaurant. That was my way in. I had been working in a country club for a year when I was twenty years old. A bartender took a trip and I offered to take a few of his day shifts. They were shifts that started off at 10 o'clock in the morning. They just didn't generate a lot revenue and for that reason no one really wanted these a.m. shifts. I was more than glad to fill in. That was my way in and it also transformed my well being. When the bartender that took his honeymoon returned, I continued to tend bar and I have not gone back to being a waiter since. This particular account directs me to the point.
You'll find numerous positions you can take in a nearby restaurant or club that may lead to a bar tending position. Do not get me wrong, I do know clearly there was lots of good fortune in my position, however it will happen. Employees call in sick and no call-no show frequently. Step up to the plate and demonstrate to your boss that you're the man, or woman, for the job. If being a waiter or waitress isn't really your thing (it wasn't mine I hated it) think about bar-backing. If I had to be a server for just one more month I in all probability wouldn't have had a career change. Bar-backing is a good way to get a bar tending job. You would not believe me if I said the number of bar-backs I picked up to be bartenders. I would tell my manager that they need and deserve the chance. Bar-backing can also be a smart way to be able to get to know the bar. You will not be handling the customers as directly but nevertheless you will most likely get very busy. It isn't an effortless job, you need to definitely hustle, however like bar tending you'll make awesome dough. There were nights when me and 3 other bartenders would tip the bar-back and then they wound up making more income than we did. In other words, get out there and get a foot in the door.
Misconception #2
Something else I usually here related to the key reason why people don't pick up bar tending jobs is that it is quite hard and you've got to learn hundreds of cocktail recipes. Just as before, Not The Case! Now I am absolutely not planning to say to you it is actually very easy, but I positively have had more stressful jobs that didn't pay close to as much and were not even near to the same amount of excitement. Have a go at landscaping in hundred degree heat and then inform me bar tending's really hard. You'll have to hustle but 9 nights out of ten you've had a good time doing the work. If you are fearful in relation to tending bar being difficult in the sense that you have to memorize scores of cocktail recipes, don't be concerned. Everyone who's ever been inside a nightclub really has learned one-half the drinks which will be asked for and they are self explanatory, i.e. gin & tonic, vodka soda. There are two main contents and they're inside the drink name, how tricky is that? In case a drink is ordered that you just do not know there is absolutely no shame in either asking the patron what it is, or checking out a book. Every respectable tavern on earth has a drink recipe guide behind the bar. I have read this kind of book thousands of times. I'm sure that you're likely pondering, just how can I view it hundreds of times. In this point in time of tending bar there's so many obscure shot recipes,and unless you are Will Hunting, you can not possible remember every one of them. Everyone is continually producing new cocktails too and till the recipe and cocktail catches on it is tough to remember what they are. For this reason, I say to you not to worry about this. The best bartenders known to man do not recognize every cocktail.
Most places provide the same 20-40 cocktails and you will have all of them down pat right away. Do not be intimidated due to your lack of education or experience. Each of us has to start someplace. Just like I explained before, start out on the day shift. You will probably not generate a great deal of money from the start but it is a great place to grow. Please believe me too that ninety nine% of the watering holes in the states find it difficult to obtain day time shift bartenders. Typically they're simply very happy to have someone be there. They can care less regarding experience. Provide some initiative, practice a lot and you'll be tending P.M. shifts and making a lot of cash quickly enough.
Get Going
People acquire positions on a regular basis that they have minimal knowledge about, and tending bar isn't any different. I unquestionably understand the uneasiness but it's some thing you'll need to endure. Ideally this article will give you the self confidence to make sure you push ahead and go out and get yourself a job.
People always want to get bartending jobs but are intimidated by their lack of experience. If you want to learn how to become a bartender or want to learn the bartending basics check out TheBartendingExperience.com
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Is Bartending School Right For Me?
It is easy to see the appeal in the bartending profession: bartenders lead exciting lives.
Bartenders get to have fun mixing drinks and meeting new people, all while on the clock!
In addition to having a good time, bartenders tend to make good money!
While bartending is a service industry job, like waitering, bartenders tend to make substantially more in tips than the average waiter.
But not all bartenders are made equal.
The key to becoming a successful bartender is the proper training, which can only be acquired if one graduates bartending school.
Sure, any average Joe who can pour a shot, mix a drink, or hand over a beer can call himself a bartender.
But training can give you the leg up you need to rise above the rest and become a professional bartender.
Why settle as just another average, mediocre bartender when you can become a professional?
You won't find yourself sitting sitting in lectures taking notes. Instead, you'll get real experience learning how to tend bar and mix perfect cocktails.
You'll start out building your foundation:
* How to set up a bar.
* How to use the equipment, including the utensils and glassware.
* How to free pour liquor correctly and accurately.
* How to pour beer and how to present wine.
* How to prepare beautiful garnishes.
* How to work the cash register and manage the cash.
* How to recognize when a patron should be cut off from purchasing additional drinks.
At bartending school, you'll also learn about the many different beers, wines, liquors, and spirits that most bars keep in stock.
You'll learn about their histories, how they're made, and how to use them.
By the time you graduate, you'll be an expert!
Of course, you'll also memorize all the classic drink recipes, which are crucial to any bartender's arsenal. In addition to the classics, you'll learn the latest popular mixed drinks, shots, and shooters.
Eventually, you'll learn more advanced information:
How to mix drinks quickly using speed drills. If you tend a busy bar, you'll need to prepare drinks rapidly and correctly. These speed tricks will come in handy!
How to "up sell" more expensive beers and liquors.
And, perhaps most importantly, you'll learn how to give great customer service (without simply giving out free drinks) and how to present yourself during an interview with a potential employer.
Remember, bartenders do more than simply serve drinks.
Bartenders also serve as hosts who are there to provide patrons with a good time.
What's great about attending bartending school is that most offer job placement and guest bartending opportunities.
In some areas, especially in metropolitan cities, it can be difficult to land your first bartending job on your own.
If you're serious about bartending, this might be the right choice for you.
After all, it's the bartenders with professional training who land the jobs tending bar at expensive clubs and trendy hotels.
The proper bartending training is essential for anyone who is considering entering into the field of bartending.
Receiving the right bartending tips and tricks will make anyone an asset to bars /clubs who are hiring. Bartending school will teach you these skills in order to help you start your exciting career.
Monday, November 21, 2011
All About Bartending School
If a survey was taken of employees in the business world, a surprising number would admit to moonlighting as a bartender. At some point in life, every person would admit to at least a peaked interest in becoming a bartender. The glitzy, glamorous excitement behind the bar is what draws an individual to step behind the bar and become a certified mixologist.
There are two basic forms of Bartending School available: hands on and online. Either option is suitable. It all depends on an individual's needs. If looking to make a few impressive drinks at the next cocktail party is what's desired, then online bartending school would be the right choice. For those looking to make a career change or add a second job to the mix, a brick and mortar bartending school would be the better option.
For traditional bartending schools, there are places such as ABC Bartending School. Here, a family owned school has locations across the country. With a background rich in restaurant and hospitality, the owner promises success in the bartending industry after certification from his school. The cost of the program includes job placement assistance following completion. Classes are held in the morning and the evening, including weekends. This is done to accommodate individual schedules. In addition to the training, alcohol awareness training is also provided.
Online bartending schools are gaining a bigger presence on the Internet. Schools such as ebartendingschool.com offer the opportunity to obtain bartending certification status in the comforts of home. Included with the online course is the book needed to learn how to mix drinks with the recipes found in the book. Also contained in the book are secrets to finding the best bartending jobs, whatever the location. This online course teaches the same principles as taught in traditional bartending schools. The only difference is the cost and the connivance factor.
Written by Ant Onaf. Find the latest infomration on bartending school as well as alcohol certification.